Today�s healthcare payers are faced with three common challenges � rising costs, inconsistent quality and the uninsured. With each passing year, these seem to grow larger and stronger. In addition, poor health habits contribute to the growth of chronic disease and are a key driver behind the rise in U.S. healthcare costs, that outpaces U.S. GDP growth by 2 to 3 percent year-over-year. Health plans are being challenged to provide their members with better and information and tools than they have today to take better care of themselves and their health finances.

To engage consumers, health plans must �go where consumers go� by integrating incentives, insights, guidance and information into the digital lifestyles of consumers. Today, at one of the leading forums for the health plans industry, America�s Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Annual Meeting, Microsoft is unveiling the Connected Health Framework Reference Architecture and Design Blueprint for Health Plans to help organizations get there. To learn more, PressPass spoke with Dennis Schmuland, health plans industry solutions director, U.S. Health and Life Sciences Group at Microsoft.